1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheel for drawing a ring having helical grooves each containing at least one optical fiber.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such a drawing wheel is arranged at the output end of a cabling line in which optical fibers are automatically introduced in the helical grooves of the ring. The drawing wheel is intended for exerting a pull on the ring while the fibers are being introduced in order to stretch the core. This therefore results in an excess length of the fibers with respect to the ring when the latter leaves the line and reverts to its initial state ready for use.
Known drawing wheels carry a small radius, on the order of 20 cm. Experience shows, as do the calculators as will be seen hereinafter, that these small drawing wheels attenuate, or indeed cancel out the excess length sought after in the fibers due to the fact that the fibers in the ring around the drawing wheel follow a shorter patch than the helical run of the bottom of the grooves.